Orofino Wines - Our Story

JOHN AND VIRGINIA WEBER both grew up in Southern Saskatchewan far away from anything to do with grapes and the wine industry. The closest they ever got to wine production was the jugs of chokecherry wine John’s parents made in their basement. Virginia studied nursing and became a registered nurse and John received a Bachelor of Arts in English and then went on to finish an Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Both got the travel bug and spent the majority of the two years after University travelling and working abroad.

Virginia spent time as an au pair in France and then nursing with a non-profit organization in the slums of India. John travelled in Europe, studied french in Southwest France and bartended in England. He had two separate experiences with development work in Brazil. The first working with street kids in the poor Northeast and the second with a Brazilian organization that worked with subsistent farmers in the poorest part of Brazil. After these experiences, the two of them settled down and took teaching and nursing positions around Swift Current , Saskatchewan.

Life settled and things were good until they met the Similkameen Valley in 2001. The desire to try something new, their love of wine and the beauty of the Similkameen convinced them to purchase a vineyard and move from Saskatchewan to Cawston to try something new.

They quickly fell in love with the area and its burgeoning wine industry. Virginia has a horticulture diploma and has taken wine courses offered by the Okanagan University College. John has completed courses in viticulture, winemaking, and wine marketing from OUC. He was the first recipient of the Frank Supernak Bursary sponsored by the Canadian Vintners Association and OUC. It is given to the student who shows potential in BC’s wine industry.

Virginia and John focus on creating wines that show off the Similkameen Appellation. They are big fans of their special terroir and want it to be the main attraction of the wines. Minimal intervention in the vineyard and in the winery is key. This philosophy leads to wines that are unique and specific to their vineyard sites in the valley.

Virginia and John have two sons Jack and Nate. They share their house with an affable retriever named Cooper, a ridiculously adorable Havanese dog named Poppy and an enigmatic cat named Rosie.

The Webers are thrilled to have added Aaron Godard to the Orofino team in 2011 to assist with many aspects of the business. Aaron has a degree in fine arts and a natural talent in the kitchen .He has completed the viticulture course at OUC and has WSET accreditation. He brings a solid work ethic and passion for all things delicious to the team!

Allison Baker joined the Orofino team in 2014. She brings a terrific skill set to her work and can be found behind the tasting room bar or in front of a computer screen helping out with office management. She has a charismatic professional style and her diverse background includes restaurant positions, fashion retail and accounting. She’s a renaissance woman!

Our Winery

The conception of our winery began in the spring of 2003. After months of researching and debating alternatives, the decision was made to build Canada’s first strawbale winery in the Similkameen Valley. Building design incorporated function and eye-pleasing detail.

The Orofino winery, Canada’s only strawbale winery was constructed in 2004/2005. The eco-friendly design consists of two buildings adjoined by a breezeway.

We chose this building method after much research and planning. “Earthy” 21 inch thick walls provide superior insulation qualities – ideal for manufacturing constant barrel room temperatures and for keeping us cool in our desert heat. The buildings are beautiful and very unique. We are licensed so visitors can purchase wine and enjoy a picnic amongst our vines, almond, oak, and quince trees. In June of 2004, a strawbale workshop took place in conjunction with Sustainable Works of Nelson, BC. 22 people participated in a 5-day workshop that was designed to teach them the intricacies of strawbale construction. Using our project to get hands on experience, everybody went to work and the tasting room building was baled, sewn and stuccoed inside and out in 5 full days. The sense of community and ownership of the work done was an excellent by-product of the workshop.

WHY STRAWBALE?

Strawbale design has been around for over 200 years. The energy efficiency is unparalleled as walls are rated at up to R-60. This results in a building that is naturally cool in our hot desert summer and retains heat well in the winter.

SOLAR POWERED WINERY

We are proud of our latest green initiative here at Orofino. In the fall of 2012, we installed a solar power hybrid system that enables our tasting room and office building to be completely 100% run on solar energy. The system includes roof mounted solar pv panels to generate electricity to power the building as well as special solar panels that are able to heat all of our water needs in the building. The system has exceeded our expectations and we love to spend time watching our power meter spin backwards!

Orofino Winery is proud to announce that they have received Gold Level Certification from the world’s largest and most credible sustainable tourism certification program.

Orofino opened its doors in 2005 with Canada’s first energy efficient strawbale winery and later added a significant solar power component to the tasting room. Recently owners John and Virginia Weber built high end accommodations on the property that enable guests to stay in green certified suites. A thorough independent green audit considered every aspect of Orofino’s business practices and special mention was made of their contribution to the local community, vineyard practices, and unique energy efficiency initiatives taken throughout the years.

Beginning in the UK in 1997, Green Tourism launched its assessment and green certification program as a way to help the tourism industry partners improve their sustainability and become recognized for their efforts. One of the first sustainable tourism certification programs in the world, Green Tourism has remained one of the most sought-after eco-labels and certification programs in the world

Our Vineyards

Our wines stand out because of the seasoned farmers who are dedicated to producing the best grapes possible from their special vineyard sites. We work closely with each grower and have chosen to partner with them because of their mad skills and their particular terroir. We celebrate this relationship and feel it is a real strength of our business. Their work is acknowledged on the many single vineyard designated wines that we produce.

Our wine Tasting Room and office building is 100% run a on solar panel hybrid system we installed in 2012.

The Strawbale design improves the energy efficiency of our building, a technique that's been around for 200 years.

Similkameen Valley

The magical Similkameen Valley sits in close proximity to the South Okanagan and the US border. The valley is tied together by the Similkameen River surrounded by orchards and family run farms. We invite you to experience the laid back vibe of our neighbourhood. We’re part of the Similkameen Valley family of vineyards - with famous wines recognized across the world.

Top 5 reasons to visit the Valley

World Class Wineries

Taste the world class wines from the Similkameen Independent Winegrowers. This is what EnRoute Magazine called one of the top 5 undiscovered wine regions in the world!

Explore the Similkameen River

Explore the beautiful Similkameen River. Float, fish, or swim in it!

Official Organic Capital of Canada

Visit the farms and fruit stands in the valley to find the best produce in Canada's Official Organic Capital of Canada.

Local Events

Attend our local events like our Farm-Focus Longtable Dinners, or the sizzling PepperFest.

Scenic Routes

The short scenic drive to the Similkameen will promote relaxation, increase your chill-out quotient and possibly leave you longing to return again and again.

NEWSLETTER

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